5 of the best SIM-only deals right now

SIM-only plans have become increasingly popular in recent times and are a great way to save on your mobile costs. 

Whether you’re looking for a generous allowance of calls, texts and data per month, don't want to be locked into a long contract, or simply want to save some money, a SIM-only plan is a great idea.

In this article we'll take a look at five of the best deals on the market right now.

1. GoMo - €14.99 a month

Since entering the market a few years ago, GoMo has gone from strength to strength, and the mobile network now has over a quarter of a million customers, which is a testament to just how popular it is. 

With its SIM-only proposition GoMo is offering new customers 'unlimited' data, calls and texts for only €14.99 per month. This plan comes on a rolling monthly contract and customers can cancel at any time for free.

What’s more, this deal has a ‘for life’ guarantee, so the price you pay each month won’t go up - ever! 

GoMo uses the Eir network and promises 99% population coverage across Ireland. And unlike some sim-only deals it offers 5G data.

When it comes to the 'unlimited' data on offer it’s technically not unlimited, as a fair usage policy applies. This is the same for most 'unlimited' plans unless it's stated otherwise.

GoMo has a fair usage cap is 120GB of data per month, and 45,000 minutes of calls and 10,000 texts. Should you use more data than the fair usage allows, GoMo reserves the right to reduce your speed, but some customers have said their speeds have remained respectable at 3 to 5Mbps.

Customers can also use their full allowance of calls and texts while roaming in the EU along with a data allowance of 16GB per month. However, this 16GB isn't in addition to your 120GB monthly allowance, it's part of it, so it's important to bear this in mind if you consume a lot of data each month and plan on travelling abroad. The same goes for all offers on our list.

GoMo also offers its customers WiFi Calling for free. WiFi Calling is handy as it allows your phone to make and receive calls and texts using your broadband WiFi instead of the mobile network. So, even if you’ve got some sneaky mobile black spots in your home, WiFi Calling will help ensure you never miss a call.

To use WiFi Calling, simply ensure it’s enabled on your phone and that your phone is connected to your home WiFi.

2. Virgin Mobile - €25 a month 

Next up is Virgin Mobile, which offers customers 'unlimited' calls, texts, and 4G data for €25 a month. However Virgin regularly runs deals where you can get a discount of €5 or €10 a month off for the first few months.

If you're already a broadband customer with Virgin Media then the price is just €20 a month indefinitely. 

This plan is also on a rolling, monthly contract so customers can cancel at any time without being charged. 

Virgin's ‘unlimited’ calls and texts are subject to a fair usage policy of 10,000 minutes and 10,000 texts per month, which can be made to any number in the Republic of Ireland or while roaming within the EU.

Virgin doesn't specify a data limit. However its T&Cs state: "If your usage is so high that it is found to affect our network or to continuously have an adverse impact on other users' experience then we reserve the right at our absolute discretion to take any of the following actions, or any combination thereof:

• Limit the speed of your data connection
• Suspend your access to the Virgin Media Mobile Service and/or
• Terminate your account for non-compliance

However it's probably safe to say that you can use around 200GB to 250GB a month before Virgin would try take action.

Virgin Mobile uses the Three network which offers 99% 4G population coverage so customers more familiar with that network might feel more comfortable with this plan.

When it comes to data roaming in the EU, customers have an allowance of 27GB per month, so lots more than GoMo.

3. 48 - €12.99 a month

48 originally launched back in 2012 as Ireland’s ‘first youth-focused, digital mobile brand’ and in 2020 revamped its look and re-launched into the wider SIM-only market.

Its plan, which also uses the Three network, is offering 5,000 minutes of anytime calls, 5,000 texts and unlimited 5G data for only €12.99 a month. It also regularly offers one month for free to new sign-ups.

There is no fair usage cap so data is truly unlimited. 

With 48 you have the ability to ‘try before you buy’, unavailable with any other mobile offering. All SIMs from 48 come with a free 1GB so you can try out the network in full before signing up.

And if you want a phone, 48 recently partnered with refurbed.ie to save you up to 40% on the cost of your phone by getting a fully refurbished, second-hand device, which all come with a minimum 12-month warranty 

When it comes to roaming, 48 isn't quite as generous as some of the other plans, offering a maximum of 17GB a month.

4. Clear Mobile - from €12.99 a month

For those who may not be too familiar with the name, Clear Mobile is the low-cost, online-only mobile brand from Vodafone which launched at the beginning of 2021.

Customers who sign up can get their hands on unlimited calls, 10,000 texts, and unlimited data for only €14.99 per month on a 30-day, rolling contract. But it's only €12.99 if joining from GoMo, Tesco, 48, Eir or Three or Sky Mobile.

An activation fee of one month’s plan cost also applies to all subscriptions.

Clear Mobile uses Vodafone's network which offers 99% 4G population coverage across the country. It also has Wi-FI Calling. 

Clear Mobile hasn't implemented a fair usage policy for data use, which means data truly is unlimited in every sense of the word. Customers will also have an allowance of 19GB of data while roaming in the EU. 

Customers should know that there’s no allowance for international calls and texts with this plan, unlike with many of Vodafone’s plans.

5. Tesco Mobile - €20 a month

Last but not least in our list is Tesco Mobile whose €20 a month SIM-only plan comes on a 30-day rolling contract.

With this plan Tesco Mobile is offering 'unlimited' any network calls, texts, and data for customers in the Republic. Similar to Virgin and 48, Tesco Mobile uses the Three network in Ireland.

What distinguishes this SIM-only plan from the rest is that you also get 300 international minutes per month to select countries, or five hours - perfect for any expats who want to phone home, whether that be Poland, the UK, or the USA. You'll also get 40 Clubcard points every time you pay your bill.

Tesco Mobile's fair usage policy for data is capped at 100GB per month. That being said, the average mobile user generally shouldn't use more than 25 to 30GB per month. But unlike most plans, Tesco says it will actually charge you if you go over your monthly limit: 1 cent per Mb.

However, its fair usage policy for calls and texts should be more than enough with 10,000 any network texts and 10,000 any network minutes to landlines and mobiles and while roaming in the EU.

For data roaming in the EU, you'll get 21GB per month.

As this SIM-only deal is a bit more 'pricey' compared to its rivals, if you’re looking to get value for money each month you’d need to be making good use of the international minutes available (with all the other plans you’d be paying out-of-bundle rates which can be costly).

All in all, this plan combines a reliable network with all the data, calls and texts you'll realistically need as well as a generous allocation of international call minutes.

Choosing the right SIM-only plan

All the above plans represent great value in our opinion. 

But choosing the right one for you will depend on your individual preferences.

Apart from cost, here are the other things that you'll want to consider:

• Calls and texts per month
• Data allowance
• Fair usage policy
• International calls and texts
• EU roaming allowance 
• Network coverage
• Download speeds
• 4G versus 5G
• Sign-up incentives 
• Customer service 
• Contract length

For more information, have a read of our other blog on 10 things to consider when choosing a mobile phone plan.